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I've been a travel writer and editor for more than 12 years and am always kept up-to-date on hotel openings here and abroad. My friends back home in Detroit often ask me for hotel recommendations that offer a bang for your buck and I am happy to help.

My Simonseeks selections offer a broad spectrum of choices, from small, hostel-like accommodations to chic, year-old boutique hotels to swanky landmarks known for luxury and service. You'll definitely find what you are looking for here. I have first-hand knowledge of these establishments having stayed there at least once.

In 2010, 40 new hotels will debut in New York City at a time when bookings aren’t nearly as strong as they once were and there are many more rooms on the market.

That means great deals, especially for savvy shoppers willing to shop around andtravel off peak (avoid Christmas, Easter and all of the American holidays like Memorial Day weekend (the last week of May), July 4th, Martin Luther King Jr weekend in January and Presidents’ Day weekend in February, for example).

Ask about two for the price of three night offers, special rates and weekend deals—most property rates fall on Friday to Monday nights when business travelers head home.

And it’s not just the bargains, especially compared to a few years back, that are such a draw; it’s the dizzying array of kinds of hotels that have cropped up in the last decade. So much so that whenever I come back I stay in one or two hotels myself because they each give me such a different take on the city than staying in an apartment. Whether it’s a hip boutique hotel, a newly revamped grand dame, an intimate small pad or palatial digs overlooking Central Park, there really is something for every taste and budget. So start planning your trip.

* Simonseeks has given star ratings out of five for all accommodation
recommendations. With hotels, these will tally with the hotel's official star rating where
it exists. Where a hotel has no official star rating, and in the case of b & bs and hostels,
the experts have made a judgment as to how many stars the accommodation deserves, in terms
of comfort, level of facilities and so forth.

If you would like to suggest a hotel to the community that I haven't recommended, then click here.